Ally McCoist suggests not starting Aaron Ramsey in the Europa League final would be losing the ‘plot’
Ally McCoist believes Aaron Ramsey must start in Rangers Europa League final in Seville against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening [18 May].
Ramsey featured in the Gers’ 3-1 win over Hearts in their final Scottish Premiership match of the season at Tynecastle.
Scott Wright was rested for the encounter, with the forward potentially in line for a start in Seville, however, McCoist believes Ramsey should instead be a shoo-in to feature from the outset at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Talking on talkSPORT breakfast [09:11, 18 May], McCoist said: “These are the occasions that you’ve bought Aaron Ramsey to the club for.
“With the greatest respect, if you had said to me at the start of the season that you’re going to rest Scott Wright on the Saturday before a European final and play Aaron Ramsey you’d have absolutely lost the plot, but that looks as though it might be happening.”
McCoist added: “I would play Ramsey and if Roofe is fit I would play him as my number nine, with Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent and Ramsey in behind him.
“I don’t think that will be the starting lineup but that’s what I would want it to be.”
Can you leave Ramsey out?
Ramsey is a player that potentially has the most European pedigree in this Rangers team with his time and Arsenal and Juventus.
He has the creative spark that could unlock a defence but whether Rangers will dominate the ball remains to be seen.
Frankfurt are an excellent counter-attacking side which could see the Bundesliga team potentially drop deep and allow Rangers the ball.
If that is the case, then starting Ramsey could be a good option to break down a well-drilled low block.
However, if Frankfurt take the game to Rangers then Wright’s energy and dynamism could be utilised well.
Regardless, it is a good problem for Giovanni van Bronkhorst to have.
The Rangers boss was going into the semi-final against RB Leipzig with a host of injury problems.
So going into the Europa League final with selection dilemmas will be a problem the Rangers boss will embrace.
Even if Ramsey doesn’t start, he will almost certainly be utilised off the bench and isn’t a bad option to have.
In other Rangers news, Adrian Durham highlights ‘crazy problem’ in midfield for Rangers ahead of EL final v Eintracht Frankfurt